


Speechless warrior

by Evilkat23



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-12
Updated: 2013-05-12
Packaged: 2017-12-11 17:04:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/801062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evilkat23/pseuds/Evilkat23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is about a mute cat, who later falls in love with a shadow clan cat</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jayfeather walked into the nursery with a small bundle of borage in his mouth. Ferncloud's familiar scent wafted through the small den along with Leafpool's. "Oh, Ferncloud, they just get cuter and cuter with you!" Leafpool cooed and Jayfeather rolled his blind eyes. "Yeah, just so adorable. Here's your borage." He muttered and placed the herbs next to the silver queen. Leafpool gave a soft snort and looked at the three small, suckling kits.

"Have you've given them names yet?" The medicine cat asked and Jayfeather let out a soft huff and just walked back out of the nursery. Ferncloud lightly chuckled "Yes, I have" she said and with her tail she pointed to the only tom of the group. A gray tabby with blue-gray stripes. "This is Rockkit" she said softly, she then pointed to the she-cat next to the tom. A tortoiseshell she-cat with cream, orange, and black mixed into her fur. "That's Petalkit" she then looked at the smallest she-cat of the group. This kit was fully brown except for her white paws. Leafpool looked back at Ferncloud and noticed that the queen was watching the kit very carefully.

"She's very small…." Ferncloud said expressing worry and Leafpool purred, before the ex-medicine cat could say anything Dustpelt came into the nursery. "Don't worry Ferncloud, she'll be a good warrior despite her small size" her mate encouraged and gave the queen a quick lick on the head. Ferncloud purred loudly. "Barkkit…."

Leafpool and Dustpelt perked their ears up and Leafpool spoke "What?"

"Barkkit, her name, she'll be firm, hard and tough. Like the bark on a tree, therefore her name is Barkkit"

Dustpelt looked from Leafpool to the small brown kit. "It's a nice name…if she were a tom cat" Ferncloud narrowed her eyes at her mate. "Tom or no Tom, it's a name that fits her!" she augured and Dustpelt was quick to reply, "We don't know that yet! What if she became a medicine cat? I say her name should be Treekit! A tree is strong, firm, and hard….plus it more fitting for a she-cat…." Dustpelt muttered the last part but they still heard him. Leafpool just lowered her ears as the tension grew between the two.

Normally Ferncloud and Dustpelt don't fight over names but Leafpool could tell that Dustpelt really didn't like a tom name for a she-cat. "Oh, Leafpool help! Should we name her Barkkit or Treekit?" Ferncloud whined a little and Leafpool looked at the two. "Oh, well…why don't you wait till she starts talking and walking? That way you can see how she is and what name really does suit her?" Leafpool suggested and Ferncloud just lightly pouted and looked at the brown and white kit.

"Fine."

"No! not fine! What are we going to call her till then? Kitkit? Now I say we settle this now!"

"What are you guys yelling about?" a black and white kit asked happily trotting up to the cats and kits. "Hello Spottedkit" Leafpool greeted warmly, a black and brown tabby soon joined his brother. "Darkkit" Leafpool also greeted, the tabby looked at the suckling kits and watched them. "That one is pretty!" Spottedpelt said to the brown suckling kit. Ferncloud's ears then perked up as if she got an idea. "Hey, Spottedkit, what do you think of her being named Barkkit?"

Spottedkit perked his ears up a little and eyed her. "Well, Bark is brown, and when you remove it from a tree it can be white right? So, it might fit her!" he said happily, his blue eyes shining. Darkkit rolled his pale green eyes and went back to his mother. "See? Spottedkit agrees!"

"Spottedkit is just a kit! let's go and ask a real warrior!" with that Dustpelt left the nursery for a few moments and Leafpool once again sighed "Really? All this fuss over a name?" she asked and Ferncloud also sighed "I know it seems ridiculous but, I have this feeling that she's going to be different than the rest….and if she's going to be different then why not have a different name?"

"Isn't that a little cruel?" Leafpool asked knowing she crossed a little line by the way Ferncloud's ears flattened. The queen never replied though, Dustpelt came back into the nursery with a confused looking Brackenfur. "Brackenfur! Do you think the brown kit should be named Barkkit or Treekit?" Dustelt asked the warrior.

"…..why?"

"Because, Ferncloud wants to name her Barkkit, which is a name for TOMS and I want to name her Treekit, which is a proper name for a she-cat!"

"Does it really matter what she is called? Just as long as she's a good warrior or, if Starclan wants, a medicine cat then it doesn't matter if her name is for a tom cat or a she-cat" Brackenfur said plainly and Dustpelt sighed in defeat "Fine. She can be named Barkkit"

Ferncloud didn't bother to hide the look of success on her face and Dustpelt licked the top of her head "You win this time" he whispered and then left the nursery. Leafpool chuckled "do you guys always fight about names?" she asked and Ferncloud laughed with her, her voice soft "No, not often. Normally if he thinks it's the best name for the kit then I'll keep it for him but Barkkit….I want her to have that name; she's going to be a special kit and a great warrior or medicine cat so why not give her a name for toms" Ferncloud said with a small smile. Leafpool just purred and smiled as well I'll go tell Firestar about them. "Thank you Leafpool!"

Spottedkit watched Barkkit for a few more moments then walked up to his brother. "Barkkit is pretty don't you think?" he asked Darkkit and the kit sneered. "If by pretty, you mean pretty ugly, then I agree!"

"You're so mean!"

Leafpool just shook her head and walked out of the nursery and her thoughts built up as she walked to her father's den. 'You are right Ferncloud, Bark is strong and firm on a tree, but with time that bark will become brittle, weak, and will break…and something is telling me that's going to happen with Barkkit….'


	2. Chapter 2

Leafpool eyed the brown and white kit in front of her closely. Barkkit watched Leafpool with equal interest, her full brown tail lightly tapping on the ground as she watched the medicine cat. Ferncloud was right next to her and watched her kit with a mixture of worry and love. "Come on Barkkit! Please just say Leafpool!" Ferncloud blurted out breaking the silence. Barkkit looked from her mother to the medicine cat then she slowly lowered her ears and set her gaze to the floor.

Jayfeather walked into the den and shook his head. "Still not talking? She's over three moons old, she should have talked by now" the blind cat said and Leafpool just sighed "Honestly, I don't know, maybe she's just a late bloomer when it comes to talking…give her some time. She's not apprentice age just yet." Ferncloud watched Barkkit again then sighed once more "Fine. Come on Barkkit" walking out Ferncloud looked back and watched as Barkkit bounced happily beside her. The queen opened her mouth to say something, before she could speak however; Rockkit and Spottedkit ran up and around the gray queen.

"Hold still!" Spottedkit yowled and Rockkit stuck his tongue out at the black and white kit. "Make me!" without looking the tabby tom turned around and ran, right into Barkkit. The brown and white kit landed on her back, Rockkit ran off not even apologizing to his littermate. Spottedkit snorted and helped Barkkit up to her paws.

"Are you ok Barkkit?" he asked and Barkkit slowly nodded. Spottedkit smiled and gotten down to the ground and jumped around in front of Barkkit "I'm Spottedstar! Leader of Thunderclan and you are Barkleap! My deputy! Together we must defeat Rockstar and his deputy Petaltail!...Darkkit didn't want to play…." Spottedkit lowered his ears at the end but then perked them back up smiling "But it should be fun now that you've joined!"

Barkkit watched him for a moment then looked back up at her mother. "Go on, you don't need my permission to play" Ferncloud gave her a nudge and Barkkit slowly followed Spottedkit as he walked towards Rockkit and Petalkit. Petalkit watched Barkkit cautiously then turned her head up and continued to play with Rockkit, ignoring Barkkit. Spottedkit growled softly and pounced on Barkkit tail, the kit jumped up and spun around.

Spottedkit smiled broadly at Barkkit "can't catch me!" he yowled and ran around Barkkit. Narrowing her eyes she jumped and managed to land on Spottedkit's black and white tail. He laughed "you're too slow!" he said and ran again. "Oof!" landing on his back he looked up at the cat he ran into and his ears lowered "Sorry, Firestar…" he said and bowed his head; Barkkit did the same to the leader even though she did nothing.

The bright orange leader chuckled, his voice sounding wise, "it's alright you two, Barkkit…still not talking?" he asked and the she-cat lowered her ears to the ground. Firestar gave her a soft nuzzle "I'm sure you'll find your voice soon enough. Ferncloud, can I talk to you and Dustpelt for a moment?" he asked the gray she-cat and slowly the queen nodded and walked up to the leader. They walked towards Firestar's den, not before spotting by the warriors den to get Dustpelt.

"I wonder what it's about" Spottedkit muttered then looked at Barkkit, who just shrugged in response. "It's obvious isn't it?" Petalkit said with a soft growl as she and Rockkit walked up to the two. "It's about Barkkit! She's obviously not warrior material, so they'll going to make her a medicine cat!" she said sneering lightly at her littermate.

"You don't know that Petalkit! They could just be talking about….the weather!"

"Yes, the leader wanted to talk to Ferncloud and Dustpelt about the weather. Not the fact that Barkkit is a lost cause" Petalkit said and Barkkit lowered her ears once more and took more interest with the ground and the grass at her paws. "You don't have to be so mean Petalkit!" Spottedkit growled his fur rising up "come on Barkkit lets go and play somewhere else!" he said glaring heavily at Petalkit and Rockkit. Pushing Barkkit away he held his head up high.

"Don't worry Barkkit you'll never be a lost cause to me!"

The feeling of playing left her quickly and she turned away for Spottedkit and ran into the nursery "Barkkit!" Spottedkit yowled he went to give chase to the small kit but then stopped and sighed. "I didn't mean it like that…." He breathed softly and turned away from the nursery.

Xxx0000ooooxxxxxoooo0000xxxx

Firestar stood on highledge overlooking Thunderclan. Next to him where Spottedkit and Darkkit, both looking exited and delighted. With his bright orange tail he motioned the two kits towards him.

"Spottedkit, Darkkit both of you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you two to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you two receive your warrior name, you will be known as Spottedpaw and Darkpaw. Spottedpaw, your mentor will be Brackenfur. I hope Brackenfur will pass down all he knows on to you. Darkpaw, your mentor will be Cloudtail. I hope Cloudtail will pass down what he knows on to you as well"

Cloudtail and Brackenfur walked up to their apprentices and touched noses with them. Spottedpaw's blue eyes where shining brightly. Darkpaw just sighed irritably and watched Cloudtail closely.

Barkkit watched from the nursery and she sighed as well 'Spottedpaw, I'm going to be lonely…' she thought softly as she turned around and lay down in the empty nest. Ferncloud and her littermates where all out there watching the ceremony. Barkkit would have joined but decided it would be best if she just stayed in the nursery. Crossing her front leg together she laid her head on them and waited for Ferncloud.

Her yellow eyes focused on a stray piece of moss on the den floor. Getting up she swatted the lone piece of moss and watched it bounce across the nursery, walking up to it once more she sniffed it then swatted it once more. This was pretty fun.

Ferncloud entered the den and purred at the site. Petalkit and Rockkit noticed as well, Petalkit sneered as normal while Rockkit snuck up behind his sister and jumped landing on her long tail. Barkkit jumped up, spun around, and then swatted at Rockkit's head. Rockkit laughed "Was that a hit? It felt like a flea bite!" Lowering her ears in defense, she crouched down so her stomach was touching the nursery floor. Getting on her hunches she kneaded the ground a few times then jumped on Rockkit.

After that everything became a blur of gray and brown fur twisting together. "Ok you two! That's enough!" Ferncloud ordered. they stopped with Barkkit pinned to the ground by Rockkit who wasted no time sitting on her stomach. Barkkit pouted and tried to kick her brother off but he wouldn't budge, Rockkit laughed again "If that's the best you got then you might as well be a medicine cat" he said with a bored flick of his stripped tail.

Barkkit gnashed her teeth together and snarled at her brother 'I won't be a medicine cat!' she thought, and then in a wild burst of strength, she managed to kick him off. Holding her head high she trotted over to her mother and sat down in a proud manor. Ferncloud chuckled and started to groom the now proud kit. "Barkkit, my tough warrior" she said with a laugh. Petalkit lowered her ears then turned her head up with a soft 'hmph'.

Rockkit just blinked then let out a sigh and turned his attention to the same stray piece of moss that Barkkit was playing with. Lightly he swatted it around in a plain matter. Barkkit felt a strange feeling as she watched her littermates. Slowly she shrunk down into the nest and just allowed her mother to groom her. The feeling of her mother's tongue lapping her fur made her drowsy slowly her eyelids fell and she lost the battle of consciousness and allowed herself to sleep by her mother's side.


	3. Chapter 3

Barkkit lapped at her fur lazily, Rockkit lifted his ears up at his littermate. Petalkit was of course no were to be seen inside the nursery. All of them where six moons now and should be apprentices any day now and still Barkkit wasn't talking. Rockkit frowned at his sister as he watched her lazily groom her white paws. "Why are you trying to be different?" he asks finally, he watched as her ears perked at him and she stopped grooming in mid lick. "Just stop drawing attention to yourself, it's not cute or funny, it's annoying! Stop this nonsense and just talk like a normal cat!" he hissed his fur rising on his on his back.

Barkkit narrowed her yellow eyes at him, anger shown clearly in them unmasked. Then as soon as the anger came it was gone and replaced with sorrow. "Well?! Why don't you speak!?" he ordered his fur getting higher. Instead of opening her mouth to defend herself like a normal cat would, she just turn and left the nursery. Rockkit snorted at her retreating form. 'Stupid Barkkit' he thinks his blue eyes glaring at the nursery entrance, but still even with his anger he felt a twinge of regret in his stomach. Shaking his head he huffed and plopped down on the moss bed in the nursery.

Barkkit huffed angrily and paced around the camp entrance. Everyone either hated her, Pitied her, or both. Clawing at the ground with each step, she snorted 'I'll show them! I'll be the best, just wait and see!' huffing once more, her fur stood on end making her look twice her size. "Everything ok?" stopping her pacing she looked up to see Graystripe. The shaggy gray warrior sat down next to her his long tail lightly sweeping the dirt below.

Barkkit looked away from him and pawed at the ground getting her pretty white paws dirty. "Let me think, because you are different, because you can't talk, the others in the nursery aren't treating you like they would another cat, am I right?" he asks never taking his eyes off her. Barkkit curled her fluffed out tail around her paws and started to lick it down. Graystripe gave out an mrrow laugh, leaning down he smiled at her.

"Don't let the others bring you down is really the only advice I can give you for the time being… If they have something to say then let them say it, just don't let it bring you to the point where you feel like this clan isn't your home" then with that he got up and left the small kit alone. 'Home?...it doesn't feel much like a home…but if Graystripe says it is my home then….it is.' She thinks watching the warrior walk towards Millie and touch noses with his mate. Barkkit's ears flattened at this as anger erupted almost instantly, she then thinks, 'what does he know?! How could he possibly know what I am feeling right now?! He was never made fun of the way I am! He was never outcasted the way I am right now! He's best friends with the leader! He knows nothing!'

"Barkkit come back to the nursery and stop that pacing, you're going to make you're self dizzy or sick" Ferncloud called. Realizing she had in fact been pacing once again she huffed and stormed back to the nursery. Ferncloud went to give her a lick on the head but she ducked down and just laid down in the moss bed, her back turned to her mother. "Barkkit…" was all Ferncloud had said, realizing that the kit wasn't in the mood for any sort of comfort or really any kind of contact she just sat next to her and watched as her daughter was quick to fall asleep.

'falling asleep while angry isn't good for her health she'll get sick, I should talk to Leafpool about this' she thinks as she grooms Barkkit. Rockkit sat and watched his ears back in what looked like anger, "You should be ashamed of yourself" she growled at Rockkit, who looked away. "Yelling at your own littermate like that, she did nothing wrong and you yelled at her like she had just harmed you" She hissed now and Rockkit kicked the ground with one of his paws. "I expected something like that from Petalkit, Rockkit I expected way better from you." she then lashed her tail at him. Rockkit sat down in front of his mother and pouted, "I didn't…I mean…she just…"

"She just what? She was just sitting there grooming herself and minding her own business…don't make her feel unwanted just because she's different from you or Petalkit…." With that Ferncloud ended the conversation and licked Rockkit's head "Now, to bed, you have a big day tomorrow"


	4. Chapter 4

Barkkit let out a silent sigh as her mother lapped at her back, cleaning her brown fur. "Barkkit, you should be happy! You get to be an apprentice today with Rockkit and Petalkit" Ferncloud said momentarily stopping her grooming, Barkkit let her ears lower, unlike her sister and brother, she didn't want to be an apprentice, she didn't want to leave the nursery, but she knew she had too.

Ferncloud finished grooming the small kit and purred, "There, pretty as can be" Barkkit just sighed and walked out of the nursery and stood at the entrance, she watched as all the cats did something and move about. Cloudtail was with Darkpaw, they looked like they were getting ready to leave the camp. Spottedpaw's black and white fur stood out the moment he stepped out into the sun; it had a strange gleam to it. Spottedpaw noticed Barkkit and happily trotted to her. "I heard that you're going to be an apprentice today! That's great! I and Darkpaw already got you, Rockkit, and Petalkit's moss beds set up in the den!" he said happily his tail flicking ever so often.

Barkkit looked away towards the highledge, signaling that she didn't want to talk to Spottedpaw at the moment; the black and white cat looked offended for a moment but then purred "I'll see you later then!" with that he headed off.

Barkkit sighed once more and wanted to lay down on the ground but she knew that if she messes up her clean coat her mother would have her head. Seeing a familiar sandy colored coat of fur walk pass her, looking inside the nursery, she saw Sandstorm. Her stomach lightly poking out. Ferncloud chuckled at the warrior "Nice to see you in the nursery again" her mother said and Sandstorm chuckled as well "I bet I'll be seeing you back in the nursery before I even start kitting" she said with a strange smirk.

"Hello, Barkkit"

Jumping up, Barkkit's fur bristled up she looked at the bright orange leader and relaxed. Licking her now ruffled chest, the leader chuckled at the kit "I want to talk to you…about you being an apprentice…" Barkkit perked her ears up at the leader and blinked slightly.

"Barkkit…some, including me, feel like being an apprentice might just be too tough for you. Some, still including me, think that your inability to talk might prove it to be too tough, warriors need their speech especially in battle or if they're alone, you can warn the clan if something where to happen or if you were attacked….Leafpool could always use an apprentice and you don't need your speech as much" he said softly, as if he was trying to say it as calmly as he could, or tying to upset her.

Barkkit's eyes widened at the words and she shook her head, 'I have to be an apprentice! A warrior apprentice, I can't be a medicine cat! That's not my destiny!' she thinks, wishing the leader could read her mind, so she settled with giving him the big yellow eyes hoping he would get the hint. Firestar watched her for a few moments, his green eyes boring into her yellow ones. Almost as if he did read her mind he nodded and said, "Ok…how about this then, I'll give you one moon, ONE moon, to train like a warrior apprentice and after that moon your mentor will tell me whether you are ready to be trained full on or not, sounds good?"

Barkkit nodded so fast that she thought her head might pop off. Firestar chuckled at her and nuzzled her head "Ok then" and with that the leader turned around and walked off towards his den. Barkkit happily dazed off her tail flicking happily. Finally, somebody was going to give her a chance.

A bitter snort alerted the brown kit out of her happy daze. Barkkit turned her head and glared at her sister, Petalkit snorted once again "You should see that he's just pitying you, nothing more, once that moon is up you're going straight to the medicine den, he just wanted to give you a small taste of what it's like being a real apprentice" she said with a glare walking around her sister. "You'll probably get Brightheart as a mentor" and with that she turned with her tail high and her head up.

Barkkit frowned and thought, 'you have no right to say that Petalkit, Brightheart is a good cat and even if I get her as a mentor I'll be happy, and I know Firestar isn't just pitying me, he's a good leader and is treating me fairly, unlike you'

Rockkit walked passed her, his blue eyes seemed to be filled with sadness; he never stopped to talk to her though. With a sigh Barkkit lapped at one of her white paw's and ran it over her ear. After a few moments of silence and lapping at her paws. Firestar trotted up to highledge. With a happy purr, Barkkit watched and waited while thinking, 'It's time'


End file.
